Jennifer is a Registered Early Childhood Educator with more than 20 years of experience working with children. She is very passionate about her work with children and truly enjoys being a part of their development. Jen loves the outdoors and glamping at her trailer. You can always find her swimming or boating with family and friends.

“I love the entire program at ACT. The children, families, staff and management make it very easy to come to work every day.”

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Hersheys Eggies

What’s your favourite holiday?

Christmas

Are you a morning person or a night-owl?

Morning person

Lynne holds a Diploma of Early Childhood Education from St. Lawrence College. Before joining the ACT teams, Lynne operated a home-based childcare program for 16 years. Throughout this time, she consistently delivered developmentally appropriate enriching activities in all areas of child development. She then worked in the role of ECE educator with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board. Working alongside teaching teams, she had many opportunities to deliver developmentally appropriate enriching activities to school-age children in both the classroom and in the Extended Day Program.

“I love being part of a multi-disciplinary team and making a positive impact in the lives of these little people!”

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?

Monkey

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pizza

Are you a morning person or a night-owl?

Morning person

Julie Tessier is a registered Occupational Therapist (OT) with the province of Ontario. She graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Kinetics and completed a Master of Health Science in Occupational Therapy in 2019. She provides Occupational Therapy services in both English and French. In addition to providing assessments, interventions and consultations in private practice, Julie is also part of many projects such as a registered PLAY consultant for the Play Project, a member of the supervisory team in the Entry to School (ETS) Program and a mentor for the Secret Agent Society (SAS) research project.

Julie’s love of helping kids has led her to acquire several years of experience working alongside experienced pediatric therapists. For the past eight years, she has worked with children on the autism spectrum in different settings. She has skillfully assisted with integration in day cares, has developed and led social groups as well as summer camps, provided respite services to families. She continues to pursue her passion as an Occupational Therapist with a special focus on working with children of all ages.

Julie aspires to help children gain independence in their everyday activities as well as work in an interdisciplinary setting. Julie provides quality interventions that emphasize promoting the child’s motivation and engagement within activities of their daily life. Julie is highly motivated to grow and develop as a therapist as she and completed various trainings.

In her spare time, Julie loves to travel, spend time outdoors, participate in various sports and being surrounded with her friends and family.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Iceland

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Stir fry

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?

Goat

Helen holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and is currently working towards a Bachelor of Childhood and Youth Studies. She is fluent in both English and French. In her spare time, Helen loves cooking African food and blasting loud music to put some groove in the house!

“My passion is to work with children. The Entry to School program allows me to help the children by developing their skills and help them by preparing for the upcoming school transition.”

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Africa, Carribean and Ireland

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?

Giraffe

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I love chapati with meat or any pasta dish

Robyn is an Instructor Therapist with over four years of experience working with children with disabilities and 16 years of experience working with adults with a variety of disabilities. Robyn holds a Diploma of Recreation and Leisure as well as a Registered Behaviour Therapy certificate.

In her spare time, Robyn enjoys spending time with her children, walking her dogs and playing soccer.

“ACT Learning Centre is an inspirational company that is doing amazing things for children on the spectrum, and I am excited to be a part of such an inspiring team.”

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Fiji

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?
Monkey

What’s your favourite holiday?
Christmas

Laura is a Child and Youth Practitioner (Algonquin College, Advanced) who brings a wealth of experience working with children and youth to her position as a Classroom Facilitator in the Entry to School program. She prides herself on working from a strengths-based perspective, using compassion and connection to encourage the children she works with to reach their fullest potential.

Rebecca has been working in the ECE field for about five years serving a wide range of programs including childcare centres, camps and school environments. She has always had a passion for inclusion and working with children who have special needs which led her to extend her field of work by doing respite care and working as an Educational Assistant within the school board.

“I chose to work with ACT Learning Centre because I believe that all children deserve to live a fulfilling life of love, learning and happiness. Having inclusive environments and a place for individuals to learn and grow is something I aspire for, which is what made the decision of working with ACT Learning Centre so easy.”

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
TACOS

What’s your favourite holiday?
Christmas

Are you a morning person or a night-owl?
Morning person

Emilie holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and is a Registered Early Childhood Educator. She has supervisory experience working with preschool-aged children and speaks both English and French.

“I work at ACT because I love the supportive team environment and professional development opportunities.”

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Bora Bora

If you could own any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?
Lion cub

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Pizza

Lauren holds a Master of Health Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Toronto. She also has a certificate in American Sign Language (ASL), has completed continuing education on using Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) with children who use echolalia and those who are non-speaking and is also an Individual Authorizer for Communication Aids with the Assistive Devices Program (ADP).

Since starting her SLP career, Lauren has worked with both children and adults with a range of developmental disability and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She has a particular interest in Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) and worked at an interdisciplinary General Level clinic implementing all forms of AAC. She has also had the opportunity to develop and deliver trainings to parents and clinicians. Previously, Lauren worked as an educator-therapist using the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and has over 8 years of experience working with autistic children and adults. At ACT, she splits her time between private practice and the Entry to School Program.

In her spare time, Lauren enjoys discovering new places and new food. She always has a new creative project on the go and has most recently been learning to sew.

“Besides the great team of clinicians I get to work with, I love that ACT prioritizes family and child-centred care using an interdisciplinary approach. I believe developing a good working relationship with both the client and family is crucial to delivering holistic care that is specific to each individual.”

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would love to go to Iceland!

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?

Probably a sloth – we can just hang out and be lazy together

What’s your favourite holiday?

Such a tough choice! It’s a toss-up between Thanksgiving and Christmas

Ana has been practicing in the field of Behavior Analysis since 2016, beginning her career as an Instructor Therapist in Dubai. She received her Board Certification as a Behavior Analyst in 2019, following the completion of a BCBA Verified Course Sequence at the Florida Institute of Technology. Ana holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Saint-Joseph University of Beirut, Lebanon, which she completed in 2015.

Specializing in Verbal Behavior and early intervention, Ana has experience working with children and youth with ASD in both clinical and school settings. She has collaborated with schools in the development of IEPs and has facilitated the integration of children with ASD into classroom settings.

Ana is passionate about training parents, caregivers, and therapists to implement personalized treatment programs that adhere to evidence-based practices. Her multilingual fluency in English, French, Arabic and Romanian enhances her ability to serve a diverse client base and her cross-cultural communication skills allow her to provide effective and empathetic therapeutic outcomes.

“ACT is renowned for its multi-disciplinary approach and for fostering a positive work culture, making it exciting to be a part of this exceptional team.”

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Japan

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?

Ezo flying squirrel

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Thai

Shaylyn is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in the province of Ontario. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psycholinguistics, specializing in Communication Disorders, with a minor in American Sign Language from Carleton University. Additionally, she holds a Master of Clinical Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Western University. Throughout her education, Shaylyn gained valuable experience working with diverse populations, including both children and adults, addressing issues such as voice disorders, aphasia, swallowing, fluency, literacy, articulation and language acquisition. Before obtaining her Speech-Language Pathologist license, Shaylyn served as a Red Cross swimming instructor and worked as a respite worker.

Shaylyn enjoys outdoor activities with her family and friends; however, she equally appreciates quiet nights in with her dogs and a good book. She is also passionate about giving back to her rural community through organizing community events. She describes herself as both compassionate and creative.

“I chose to work at ACT Learning Centre because their values align with my own. I believe that individualized therapy is immensely beneficial to clients and their families because we all have diverse learning styles and unique interests! I also appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with different professions, allowing for the highest quality of care for our clients.”

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?

An otter!

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Surf and turf

What’s your favourite holiday?

Thanksgiving

As a Registered Social Service Worker and a graduate of an Autism and Behavioural Science college program, Sarah strives to assist children in their learning path with empathy and compassion. Sarah has previously worked in a school-based setting for the past two years.

Sarah enjoys connecting with each child to best meet their needs and help to promote their strengths.

Becky is a Registered Early Childhood Educator and a Carleton University graduate possessing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Becky has experience implementing behaviour therapy to children ages 3 -12 in both one-on-one and group settings. With over five years of experience working with children of diverse backgrounds, Becky is passionate about working alongside her clients to help them reach their full potential safely and compassionately.

As a registered early childhood educator of 9 years, Katie has worked with many children ranging from 6 months-12 years. She is caring and companionate and connects with each child, to learn individual needs. Katie strives to include developmentally appropriate environments and activities while making sure all children are feeling safe and loved.

Natasha holds a Bachelor of Psychology as well as a Bachelor of Education. She has experience as a manager of a childcare centre as well as 13 years of experience in an early childhood educator role. She also has several years of experience as an elementary teacher and math and English tutor. Natasha speaks both English and French.

“I love working at ACT Learning Centre because I learn something new from the children and my team every single day.”

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Morocco

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?
Chimpanzee

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Chicken

Charlotte holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Understanding Autism and has 10 years of experience working in early learning environments. Charlotte speaks both English and French and is passionate about music!

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?

New Zealand

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?

Otter

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Breakfast

Alyssa has experience working in school, home, community and clinic settings with children of all ages and abilities to foster meaningful engagement in activities. Much of her experience has been centered on supporting children with ASD and neurodevelopmental disorders in the development of self and sensory regulation, fine and gross motor skills, social engagement and independence with self-care tasks via a naturalistic, play-based approach. She has assisted in the creation and implementation of a program to support children with ASD in their transition to preschool and has led social, self-regulation and health and fitness groups (including dance) for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders. Additionally, she is expanding her competencies in youth mental health.

Alyssa holds a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Queen’s University and an Honours Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Mental Health with a Minor in Psychology from Carleton University. Alyssa is also an avid dancer and enthusiast of all things outdoors!

“I enjoy ACT’s strength-based and family-centered approach to care, plentiful opportunities for professional development and support, and am happy to be a part of a team of inter-professionals that strives to collaborate to optimize outcomes for clients and their families.”

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be? 

Italy – mountains, beaches, and amazing food

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pasta – hands down!

Are you a morning person or a night-owl?

Night-owl

Jane is a Registered Speech-Language Pathologist in Ontario and a member of SAC. She has experience providing a wide variety of services to individuals across their lifespan. In her first year of practice, she provided speech, language, feeding, swallowing, social and play therapy services in English and French to individuals and their families from 1 to 100. Jane has experience with multilingual families and finding the optimal approach to treatment to meet her clients’ specific needs.

Jane holds a Bachelor of Arts from the Université de Moncton and a Master of Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Maine. She is also nearing completion of PLAY Project certification. Jane is passionate about international travel, solidarity and friendship. She has previously traveled, studied and worked abroad, and looks forward to the opportunity to do so again.

“ACT Learning Centre provides extensive opportunities for training, professional growth and diversified practice, within the realm of autism services. It is ACT’s commitment to providing quality services for its clients and diverse opportunities for its staff which make me a proud employee.”

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Portugal and China are next on my list!

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?

A fox

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Ice cream

Melissa began her career in the field of ABA in 2016. She holds a Master of Special Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis and completed her certification as a BCBA upon joining the ACT team. Melissa enjoys collaborating with other professionals and using evidence-based interventions to assist young clients as they transition into the school system. When Melissa isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two teenage children and her wild Bernedoodle!

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Sushi

What’s your favourite holiday?

Christmas

Are you a morning person or a night-owl?

Night-owl

Meghan is a bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist and has been working in the field for over a decade. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western and a Master of Science Speech-Language Pathology from McGill University. Meghan has completed Hanen Centre’s Learning Language and Loving it’ certification, as well as an ABA Certificate Course for Educators through the Geneva Centre for Autism.

Meghan’s passion is working with children and youth who have complex communication challenges (e.g., neurodiverse individuals, motor speech disorders, augmentative and alternative communication). She works to help children to improve their communication abilities, effectively express themselves and form connections with others. Meghan’s second passion is the great outdoors and traveling. She has camped in Northern Ontario for 15 days straight, traveled alone for two months in Southeast Asia, and lived and volunteered in Ghana for two months.

“I love working with neurodiverse children and youth who possess a range of abilities including unique talents and challenges, and ACT Learning Centre specializes in working with this wonderful population.”

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Galapagos Islands

If you could have any exotic animal as a pet, what would it be?
Hippopotamus

If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Mangoes